The Reception Of Theology At Chetham’s Library

10.1163/ej.9789004206656.i-263.39

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Chapter Summary

This chapter is concerned with the acquisition and reception of theological books at Chetham's Library during the latter half of the seventeenth century. It emphasises the usefulness of theological titles for the defence of an 'Anglican' identity in both the selection and reception of texts in the Library's holdings. The first section considers 'key' texts, and covers the Library's acquisition of scholarly titles such as Bibles, biblical apparatus and patristic material. The second considers the intellectual and book trade changes demonstrated by the Library's acquisitions, and outlines the early intellectual and book trade reliance upon Continental scholarship, a gradual move towards British scholarship and the book trade. Finally, the chapter investigates the more complicated relationships between the Library's acquisitions, their physical format, the circumstances of their acquisition and the problems involved in discussing reception that result from the way in which the Library was constituted in the seventeenth century.